Comments on: Talladega Drivers Meeting

By: Steve Sowers - Roanoke, Va

Steve Sowers - Roanoke, Va — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:47:18 +0000

Hey Claire, with the decision and most recent explanation from NASCAR now in (don’t go below the yellow line ever and NASCAR feels some how Tony did not force Smith below the yellow line), how do you think NASCAR is going to react next spring at Daytona or Talladaga when the same situation happens again but the car running second does not budge below the yellow line and instead punts the leader (who is not really blocking per NASCAR) into the fence at 190 mph in the trioval in front of the whole field? NASCAR is putting the 2nd place man into this future box of a move because they never say a person forces someone down below the yellow line. The only way a 2nd place guy can win is to not lift when they a nose under the leader and just hope the wreck don’t take them out. It is going to cause a future of torn up equipment, drivers and hopefully not a situation where equipment is going into the grand stands in front of the trioval. I’d love to know your thoughts on this scenario playing out again in the future.

By: Arthur and Suzan Boucher

Arthur and Suzan Boucher — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:22:32 +0000

Claire,
We love your show and listen to you when we can. You tell it the way it is, your a breath of fresh air, enjoyable and you don’t beat around the bush. We were at Taledeaga this week end and saw the finish of the race. We listened to your show on Monday, we listened to Gregg Biffle Monday nite. We agree with Gregg Biffle, that Nascar is sending the message loud and clear to the drivers – just wreck the driver in front of you on the last lap. Nascar is definaltey not consistant in the way they interpert their rules and it changes week to week. We have been lucky enough to attend six races this year. Who knows how much money we have spent and how many hours we have dedicated to this sport. It definatley get me upset when a driver who could of easily wrecked Tony Stewart drops below the yellow line on the last lap with a direct view of the checkered flag and gets last place on the lead lap.

By: Rick C

Rick C — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:10:42 +0000

If NASCAR states you can’t block or force someone below the yellow line without being black flagged, why wasn’t Tony flagged? If NASCAR says you can go below if you’re forced, why did Tony win?
One would only have to watch the finish of the last race to see why NASCAR TV ratings continue to drop and why tracks can’t give tickets away this year.
Keep up the great work – best part of the work day is dialing into your show on the way home!

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:21:28 +0000

Regan won that race, hands-down. He was forced below the yellow line. NASCAR should eat their own words, but, being the zero-integrity sanctioning body that it is, they 1. Made a bad decision, and 2. Didn’t even leave the door open for correcting their mistake. Just because Bill France wanted the fans to go home knowing who the winner was… and not have it changed, doesn’t mean that it’s either fair or a good idea. Bill France was not God. How about improving on the NASCAR that he built instead of running to one of his quotes to cover their a$$ every time NASCAR makes a crappy call?!

By: Larry Bashaw @ Grand Rapids Michigan

Larry Bashaw @ Grand Rapids Michigan — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:30:08 +0000

Claire – tired of watching NASCAR television race for three hours,only to see race won on a two lap shoot out time and again. With all the technology NASCAR has at hand I suggust the following : When the race has only 10 laps or less to go and the caution comes out – freeze the field at that point for positions – stop counting the yellow caution laps and when the race resumes state the count again with the first lap after the caution came out.

I don’t care how many yellow caution laps it takes to get the track ready – Red flag the race if needed. Most of the accidents at the end of the race occur way behind the leading cars anyway. This would give the drivers in the first five to eight positions a better chance at winning the race. A two lap race is virtually impossible for the third place driver and back to even come close to winning or advancing.

At the price of tickets and other associated costs to attend a race in person (yes I have attended races at several track) the fan would be better served.

I don’t think it is NASCAR’s place to placate TV coverage with an instant winner. Maybe a review of the final of the race would have given the same results, in the Stewart/Regan fiasco, but at least the fans would feel they got a better shake on the result. We have instant replay in all other sports, including horse racing. But then again maybe NASCAR is not a sport: Just entertainment like world wrestling federation. I think that was the comparison Tony Stewart Made.

Great Show – Keep up your excellent coverage

By: Andi Jo

Andi Jo — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 21:45:27 +0000

In your report Claire, it clearly says that you will be black flagged for going below the yellow line and advancing your position. But it also says, the MAY be black flagged for forcing someone below the yellow line. NASCAR played it smart.

By: Joe sixpack

Joe sixpack — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 23:33:42 +0000

I guess you get black flagged for forcing someone below the yellow if you’re not in a Toyota. Regan Smith won that race just like KY Busch did in the spring.

By: BrightEyes

BrightEyes — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 22:43:56 +0000

Interesting that the Yellow Line rule was addressed specifically in the driver’s meeting. I don’t know where Regan Smith got his “on the last lap, anything goes” interpretation.